The western boroughs of Phanes Bay smelled of its rooftop farms and taverns preparing dinner. Humans thought the boroughs of the barren smelled like filth, unused to scent other than freshly cut grass and the temples their high-priestesses order immaculate. Meanwhile, the barren could not possibly appreciate the scent of their home; they’d lived here long enough to become immune to its intricacies. Jess Vannar had no such sensory inhibitions as she made her way from the tannery. To her nose, repressed by the scent of leatherwork day in and day out, the rest of the world was exciting new terrain waiting to be inhaled and savored.
With the delicious scents, however, came bland visuals. Without knowledge of the roads, the cramped square buildings of brown and gray blurred together. The newly dyed leather shifting in the back of Jess’s chariot was blinding and pure compared to the neighborhood. Only the occasional temple or tavern indicated any progress, painted vividly to catch the eye and attract visitors. Some of the buildings would hang both warm and cool colored cloths from windows to liven the scenery. Their greens, reds, and “whites” weren’t quite as bright as what she ferried to the eastern barracks to be made into armor.
Eventually, the town made way for the river, and one of the remaining bridges lead her to the east side. Jess always found it strange to taste the air change as you crossed. One would think the factory pollution would slowly fade away the further you distanced yourself, but something about the river cleansed the air.
Progressing further eastward revealed to Jess the full spectrum of green, almost. There were always more greens, as much as the humans would like to believe they had all of them. Perhaps if the humans ever left the city, they would understand. But no. Being the only citizens able to repopulate bestowed an irrefusable, time-consuming duty.
The land around her lacked more than just shades of green. Whenever she passed through, Jess thought it ironic to describe the eastern neighborhoods as “sterile.” Humans thought the western boroughs were lawless and disgusting, but they were full of life. Life meant brushing against some roughness, not trying to sand it as smooth as the pillars or as soft as the grass. Life meant variety, not removing lesser experiences until all you have left is the scent of flowers and food. Life meant spending your time in places like the tannery so you could appreciate the world’s vastness.
Jess happened to pass the primary school just as the school-day ended. Chatter of all different pitches and iron striking pavement filled the air as carriages drew away human parent and child, and a few barren families, while other children who lived nearby held enough of their parents’ trust to make their own way home. At least the humans weren’t dense enough to baby them that hard.
Starting and stopping her horses through the crowd, Jess had almost cleared the area when she was forced to screech to a halt.
“Sorry!” The voice belonged to a young girl, maybe ten years old. She ran around the startled horses to look up at Jess from the side of the carriage. “Sorry, miss” she repeated.
“It’s no problem,” Jess replied softly. “Just let this be a lesson to you.”
“Lesson time is over,” the girl said cheerfully. “School just got out.” Her nose wrinkled as she inhaled, and a look of shock took over her face. “Where did you come from, the tannery?”
Jess could not help but laugh at the girl’s reaction, but curiosity silenced that laugh quickly.
“How would you know what a tannery smells like?”
The girl took a step back, looking down to inspect the pattern of cracks in the streets. “I like to look around at stuff.” The words came out slow and calculated. “See how things work.”
Jess cracked a smile at the girl’s enthusiasm. “And do your parents know your observations are at the far west side of town?”
“No… but I want to see how they work, and they get upset when I want to go places to do that.”
“I thought lesson time was over when school got out.”
The girl stared up at Jess, her face looked hurt. “You don’t need lectures and lessons to learn.”
“No I suppose you don’t.” Jess pondered the girl for a moment. “What’s your name, child?”
“Annie Fremont.” She stood up tall and proud.
“And what do you want to do with your life, Annie?”
“I want to make new things. Different things. Like how the west neighborhoods are full of different things. People over here just want more of the same ‘because we want to once again be what we were.’” Those last words were an exceptional mockery of the warm yet superior tones of the priests and priestesses.
“Do you not want us to return to what we once were?”
“I don’t want to throw my life away for just to be human.”
Jess found a teardrop landing across her hand. “You’re quite enthusiastic, Annie. But we all must Discover who we are and what we must do.” Jess gathered her reins. “I have to make my delivery, child. You have a good mind and determination. I hope you can put it to good use.”
With the schoolyard trailing behind and the girl still in it, Jess found herself unable to drive Annie from her mind. The girl had a keen eye, and a hunger for knowledge. She could do wonders for Phanes Bay. What would she manage to accomplish if she had the demands of humanity consuming her time? But it pushed boundaries to hope for the Discovery of a barren, one could call it taboo. While the girl would have a purpose to pursue with her time, there was also a purpose to human life. That was a purpose that could not be ignored, society depended on it. Jess wanted to encourage the girl, but that would only drag her down if she ended up human.
The ride home for Jess from delivering leather was contemplative. Gone were the diverse scents and sights of the city around her. All she could see were the people. What could we accomplish, Jess thought, if there were more barren like Annie: treating the freedom from human responsibility of survival as the ability to grasp a barren responsibility of advancement. We should be able to accomplish so much more. And here Jess was, spending her life making leather.
With the delicious scents, however, came bland visuals. Without knowledge of the roads, the cramped square buildings of brown and gray blurred together. The newly dyed leather shifting in the back of Jess’s chariot was blinding and pure compared to the neighborhood. Only the occasional temple or tavern indicated any progress, painted vividly to catch the eye and attract visitors. Some of the buildings would hang both warm and cool colored cloths from windows to liven the scenery. Their greens, reds, and “whites” weren’t quite as bright as what she ferried to the eastern barracks to be made into armor.
Eventually, the town made way for the river, and one of the remaining bridges lead her to the east side. Jess always found it strange to taste the air change as you crossed. One would think the factory pollution would slowly fade away the further you distanced yourself, but something about the river cleansed the air.
Progressing further eastward revealed to Jess the full spectrum of green, almost. There were always more greens, as much as the humans would like to believe they had all of them. Perhaps if the humans ever left the city, they would understand. But no. Being the only citizens able to repopulate bestowed an irrefusable, time-consuming duty.
The land around her lacked more than just shades of green. Whenever she passed through, Jess thought it ironic to describe the eastern neighborhoods as “sterile.” Humans thought the western boroughs were lawless and disgusting, but they were full of life. Life meant brushing against some roughness, not trying to sand it as smooth as the pillars or as soft as the grass. Life meant variety, not removing lesser experiences until all you have left is the scent of flowers and food. Life meant spending your time in places like the tannery so you could appreciate the world’s vastness.
Jess happened to pass the primary school just as the school-day ended. Chatter of all different pitches and iron striking pavement filled the air as carriages drew away human parent and child, and a few barren families, while other children who lived nearby held enough of their parents’ trust to make their own way home. At least the humans weren’t dense enough to baby them that hard.
Starting and stopping her horses through the crowd, Jess had almost cleared the area when she was forced to screech to a halt.
“Sorry!” The voice belonged to a young girl, maybe ten years old. She ran around the startled horses to look up at Jess from the side of the carriage. “Sorry, miss” she repeated.
“It’s no problem,” Jess replied softly. “Just let this be a lesson to you.”
“Lesson time is over,” the girl said cheerfully. “School just got out.” Her nose wrinkled as she inhaled, and a look of shock took over her face. “Where did you come from, the tannery?”
Jess could not help but laugh at the girl’s reaction, but curiosity silenced that laugh quickly.
“How would you know what a tannery smells like?”
The girl took a step back, looking down to inspect the pattern of cracks in the streets. “I like to look around at stuff.” The words came out slow and calculated. “See how things work.”
Jess cracked a smile at the girl’s enthusiasm. “And do your parents know your observations are at the far west side of town?”
“No… but I want to see how they work, and they get upset when I want to go places to do that.”
“I thought lesson time was over when school got out.”
The girl stared up at Jess, her face looked hurt. “You don’t need lectures and lessons to learn.”
“No I suppose you don’t.” Jess pondered the girl for a moment. “What’s your name, child?”
“Annie Fremont.” She stood up tall and proud.
“And what do you want to do with your life, Annie?”
“I want to make new things. Different things. Like how the west neighborhoods are full of different things. People over here just want more of the same ‘because we want to once again be what we were.’” Those last words were an exceptional mockery of the warm yet superior tones of the priests and priestesses.
“Do you not want us to return to what we once were?”
“I don’t want to throw my life away for just to be human.”
Jess found a teardrop landing across her hand. “You’re quite enthusiastic, Annie. But we all must Discover who we are and what we must do.” Jess gathered her reins. “I have to make my delivery, child. You have a good mind and determination. I hope you can put it to good use.”
With the schoolyard trailing behind and the girl still in it, Jess found herself unable to drive Annie from her mind. The girl had a keen eye, and a hunger for knowledge. She could do wonders for Phanes Bay. What would she manage to accomplish if she had the demands of humanity consuming her time? But it pushed boundaries to hope for the Discovery of a barren, one could call it taboo. While the girl would have a purpose to pursue with her time, there was also a purpose to human life. That was a purpose that could not be ignored, society depended on it. Jess wanted to encourage the girl, but that would only drag her down if she ended up human.
The ride home for Jess from delivering leather was contemplative. Gone were the diverse scents and sights of the city around her. All she could see were the people. What could we accomplish, Jess thought, if there were more barren like Annie: treating the freedom from human responsibility of survival as the ability to grasp a barren responsibility of advancement. We should be able to accomplish so much more. And here Jess was, spending her life making leather.